For the second game in a row, the Cubs and Rockies needed extra innings to decide the outcome after a Cubs’ third baseman game tying two-run homer. Wesley Wright could not keep the Rockies off the board in the tenth as the Cubs dropped game three of the series with the Rockies on Wednesday night.

The offense fought back after Travis Wood put his team in an early hole and tied the game at four in the eighth on a two-run homer by Luis Valbuena. The Cubs could not push across a run in the ninth and the Rockies took advantage of two free passes in the tenth and scored two runs off Wesley Wright.

For the seventh time in the last nine games on the homestand, a Cubs starter allowed runs in the first innings. Travis Wood gave up a run in the first and two more in the second and by the time he got on track the Cubs were in a rather large hole.

Wednesday was two starts in one for Travis Wood. The Rockies smoked Wood in the first two innings. Colorado jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the second inning behind three extra basehits. The Rockies squared up Wood and even the outs seemed to be hit rather hard. Wood struggled with his command, could not hit his spots and had trouble putting hitters away. But to Wood’s credit he settled down after the second inning, found a rhythm, started hitting his spots and kept his team in the game.

Travis Wood struck out a career-high 11 batters Wednesday night on a career-high 119 pitches. Wood struck out every batter in the Rockies lineup at least once.

Travis Wood allowed four runs on eight hits with two walks (one intentional) and 11 strikeouts. Wood threw 119 pitches, 76 for strikes, in six innings.

Justin Grimm and Brian Schlitter pitched two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. And Hector Rondon gave up a two-out hit in the ninth, but did not allow a run.

Wesley Wright struggled with his command and issued two walks in the tenth, both of the free passes scored and ended up being the difference in the game.

The Cubs collected their hits against Brett Anderson in the first three innings, but the offense rolled into three doubles plays, one each in the first three frames and could not string together any hits while Brett Anderson was still on the mound.

John Baker (1-for-4 with a double and a RBI) doubled in Ryan Sweeney (3-for-4 with a double and a run scored) with the Cubs’ first run in the fifth inning. And Luis Valbuena (3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI) plated Chris Coghlan (2-for-5 with a run scored) with an infield single in the sixth inning.

Starlin Castro (1-for-5 with a run scored) reached on an error by Drew Stubbs in the eighth and was on board for Luis Valbuena’s two-run shot.

Anthony Rizzo (2-for-5) picked up two hits and Travis Wood (1-for-2) singled in the third.

The Cubs outhit the Rockies 14-12 but were 2-for-8 with RISP and left seven men on base. While Cubs pitching struck out 15 batters, the Cubs offense struck out 13 times and did not work a single walk.

Travis Wood struck out Charlie Blackmon swinging and retired D.J. LeMahieu on a grounder to second to start his night. But he could not put away Nolan Arenado and he doubled to left center on a 2-2 pitch. Justin Morneau followed with a single to left on a 2-2 pitch, Arenado scored, 1-0 Rockies. Drew Stubbs struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning. Travis Wood threw 30 pitches in the first inning, 21 for strikes.

The Cubs managed two hits off Brett Anderson in the first inning, but Chris Coghlan rolled into a 6-4-3 double play in between singles by Alcantara and Rizzo.

After one inning, the Cubs trailed 1-0.

Michael McKenry led off the second inning with a single to right center on a 1-2 pitch. Brandon Barnes flied out to Sweeney in right for the first out. Charlie Culberson ripped a double into the left field corner. McKenry scored, 2-0 Rockies, and Culberson took third on the throw to the plate. Travis Wood struck out Brett Anderson looking for the second out, before Charlie Blackmon drove a double into the gap in left center. Culberson scored, 3-0 Rockies. LeMahieu grounded out to second to end the inning. Travis Wood needed 45 pitches, 33 for strikes, to complete two innings.

The Cubs grounded into another double play in the second inning … and after two innings, the Cubs were down 3-0.

Travis Wood settled down after the second inning and put zeroes on the board in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Wood tied a career-high in strikeouts when he struck out Nolan Arenado swinging to end the fifth, his tenth strikeout of the game. Wood threw 92 pitches, 64 for strikes, in five innings.

Brett Anderson took the hill in the bottom of the fifth with a 3-0 lead and made quick work of Valbuena (strikeout) and Lake (bunt back to mound) for the first two outs. Ryan Sweeney reached on an infield single up the middle that LeMahieu could not field cleanly. John Baker worked a full count. Sweeney ran on the 3-2 pitch and scored when Baker doubled to left, 3-1 Rockies. Wood struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Rockies led 3-1 after five innings.

Travis Wood retired Morneau on a liner to center for the first out in the sixth. Drew Stubbs singled to left. Wood picked off Stubbs from first. Rizzo took the throw and threw a strike toward second. Castro and Alcantara did not communicate on which one was covering the bag. Stubbs slid in safe and scored when McKenry ripped a double into the left field corner, 4-1 Rockies. Barnes grounded out to third and Wood intentionally walked Culberson to put two on with two down for Anderson. Wood struck out Anderson swinging to end the inning.

After Alcantara struck out swinging to start the sixth, Chris Coghlan reached on a single to left. Anthony Rizzo singled to right and put runners on the corners with one out. Starlin Castro struck out swinging. Luis Valbuena pulled a 1-2 pitch toward the hole at second. D.J. LeMahieu made a diving stop, but his throw to first was low and Morneau could not scoop. Coghlan scored, 4-2 Rockies. With two on and two down, Junior Lake grounded out to third to end the inning.

After six innings, the Cubs were looking up at a 4-2 score.

Justin Grimm kept the Rockies off the board in the seventh and Brian Schlitter threw a zero up on the board in the eighth.

Tommy Kahnle replaced Brett Anderson for the eighth inning and struck out Coghlan for the first out. Rizzo popped out to third. Starlin Castro pulled a 0-1 pitch to deep left center. Drew Stubbs raced over and appeared to catch the ball just before hitting the ivy. But Stubbs dropped the ball and Castro reached second on the error. Luis Valbuena worked a 3-2 count before launching his eighth homer of the year into the bleachers in right. Valbuena tied the game at four … and flipped his bat. Lake struck out swinging to end the inning.

Hector Rondon gave up a two-out single to Blackmon in the ninth, but that was all and the game went to the bottom of the ninth tied at four.

Ryan Sweeney led off the ninth with a single to right off Rob Scahill. Baker popped up his bunt attempt to Scahill and Nate Schierholtz struck out swinging. Alcantara flied out to center for the third out.

Wesley Wright took the mound for the tenth inning and issued a four-pitch walk to Nolan Arenado. Wright caught Morneau looking for the first out, but Wright walked Drew Stubbs. With two on and one down, Michael McKenry hit a sinking liner to left. Coghlan tried to make a diving catch, came up short and the bags were loaded with one down for Brandon Barnes. Barnes ripped a 1-0 pitch into left. Arenado scored, 5-4 Rockies. A wild pitch on the first offering to Culberson allowed Stubbs to scamper in, 6-4 Rockies. With runners on second and third and one out, Renteria pulled his infield in. Culberson hit a grounder toward second, Alcantara fielded the ball and threw home to nail McKenry. Walt Weiss asked for the play to be reviewed and the call stood. Wilin Rosario lined out to center to end the inning.

Starlin Castro reached with a two-out single in the ninth, but that was all. Luis Valbuena flied out to right to end the game.